Recent Articles

The Louisburg College Hurricanes Football Team exits the field after another win at home, part of an 8-2 campaign that landed them a spot in the NJCAA DIII National Championship game.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police continue to look for suspects in two shooting incidents -- one that proved fatal.
And, it was the second fatal shooting within a week's time.
"Thanksgiving," Louisburg Police Chief Jason Abbott said in a Nov. 27 Facebook post, "should be a time when we celebrate the things in life that we are most grateful for.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Ionas Mitchell, age 68 who died on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, were held Saturday, November 30, at 2 p.m. from the First Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC.

Louisburg, NC--Thomas Edward Hilliard, age 75, died on Thursday, November 26, 2024.

Hilton Head, SC--Funeral services for Norma L. Harrison, age 99, of Hilton Head, SC (formerly of Nashville, NC) who died on Friday, November 22, 2024, were held on Saturday, November 30, at 11 a.m. from the Union Hill Baptist Church, 1104 Taylor Store Road, Nashville, NC.

Castalia, NC--Funeral services for James "Herbert" Evans, age 77, who died on Thursday, November 28, 2024, will be held on Thursday, December 5, at 1 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Andrew West officiating. All funeral attendees will be required to wear a mask per family request.

Nashville, NC--Denise Richardson, age, 68, who died on Thursday, November 28, 2024, will have a viewing and family gathering on Saturday, December 7, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with burial following in the Bethel AME Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Janet "Tony" Perry, age 66, who died on Saturday, November 23, 2024, will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg.

Linda Kay Jenkins Thompson of Fredericksburg, Texas, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the age of 78. Linda was born June 3, 1946, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to Earl Frank Jenkins and Margaret Mae Davis Jenkins. Linda married Daniel Ray Thompson on November 30, 1973, in Greenville, South Carolina.

Mack Cooper, 80, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, with family by his side. Born Nov. 7, 1944, to the late Johnnie and Thelma Cooper of Franklinton, N.C., Mack had a variety of professions during his lifetime, but never strayed far from his beloved hometown. He graduated from Franklinton High School in 1963 and married his high school sweetheart, Jeanne Watson, at age 19.

LOUISBURG, NC--Linda Puckett Edwards, 80, of Louisburg, passed away Sunday morning, November 24, 2024.

Linda was the daughter of the late George and Elsie M. Puckett. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald B. Edwards.

LOUISBURG -- One final incident became the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" and led to a revamping of the Louisburg Fire Department's leadership, according to Mayor Christopher Neal.
Leading up to the ousting of part-time fire chief Randy Lanham were a number of lesser issues, the mayor said, adding that one final controversy caused the council to vote, 5 to 2, to abolish the part-time fire chief's position and begin the search for a full-time chief.

It was one lighted snowflake installed with about 89 more to go for this Louisburg Electric Department work crew as they helped get the town ready for the holiday season. The workers are Dylan Proctor (on the ground) and Brian Gordon in the aerial bucket. All around the county, workers are keeping one eye on the calendar while making sure homes, towns and businesses are ready for the suddenly here holiday season.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County begins its cavalcade of Christmas parades next Thursday.
First, the town of Franklinton is set to host the county's only nighttime parade on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in downtown Franklinton.
Youngsville is next on deck with what Mayor Fonzie Flowers proudly calls the longest running Christmas parade, which takes place on Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. in downtown Youngsville.

ALERT -- Decades ago, in the mid 1960s, an Alert man was driving through Louisburg when he made a wrong turn and ended up discovering a unique 50th anniversary gift for a wife he hadn't even met yet.
Charles Faulkner, who grew up and has always lived in the northern Franklin County town of Alert, made that wrong turn and saw a Mr. Edwards, who owned grain mills in town, driving around his yard in a 1930 Ford Model A two-door car.

LOUISBURG -- Managers of Franklin County's emergency communications system said they're moving ahead with plans to erect a supplemental tower if a federal mandate to lower a primary tower impacts coverage.
Franklin County contracted with Williams Communications to design and install an upgraded emergency radio system.

BUNN -- Bunn's police department will be under new leadership following the Thanksgiving holiday.
And, during a special meeting on Nov. 21, Bunn commissioners gave him a new weapon to fill out the department's ranks.
The board agreed to raise the hourly wage for part-time officers, by as much as $10 per hour, for the week and weekends.
"We talked about the shortage with police staff," Mayor Marsha Strawbridge said of the meeting's purpose.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners agreed to follow through on their commitment to foot the bill for design work on a portion of the bypass.
When the board met on Nov. 14, Town Manager Nathan Page presented the board with an opportunity to pursue a $500,000 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to fund the design work on the two southern sections of the bypass -- a new route connecting N.C. 96 from northwest of town to N.C. 96 southeast of town.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police arrested a Henderson man for his role in a weekend murder.
Police arrested Talib N. Alexander on Saturday, alleging the 22-year-old was responsible for killing Xavier Clifton, 25, of Bunn.
According to authorities, officers were dispatched to 547 N.C. 39 South at about 5 p.m. on Nov. 23 to investigate a shooting.
When they arrived, they found Clifton suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

LOUISBURG -- A man was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for nearly beating a man to death with a tire iron.
During a Nov. 18 hearing in Franklin County Superior Court, Richard Antione Toney entered an Alford plea for his role in the April 2022 assault on Lucas English.
According to court records, investigators, Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrived at Champion's Grocery on White Level Road on April 26, 2022 to find English "had been severely beaten and suffering life threatening injuries."

This week makes it official, the holiday season of 2024 is officially here.
Thanksgiving marks the season's start and since that holiday is later this year, it's even a shorter dash to Santa Claus's big day and all the festivities that will center around that holiday and, to a lesser extent, the arrival of 2025.
It hardly seems possible that there is only one month left of 2024 -- but the calendar says December will begin on Sunday so we can't really argue about that.

The forecast has temperatures dipping into the 30s and 20s this week.
The wind is whipping.
And, Mariah Carey is beginning to thaw because just like oxygen, there's no escaping the aural assault that is her mammoth hit: "All I Want For Christmas Is You."
But, before Mariah descends from on high, let's take the chance to give Thanksgiving its flowers.

Dear editor:

I am writing to thank Talmadge Edwards, Jr., for giving more fuel to that flickering flame.
It so lifted my spirits. I instantly thought of Benjamin Franklin: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

Janet Nelson Smith
Franklinton